Shadows of the Future
by Kokuei Tenshi
Summary: A mysterious teenager appears in Satan City, but is not who he seems. He is from the future, sent to save the Earth.


Japan, Orange Star City [Satan City] Mountain Area Forest near Son residence.  
  
The sun shines on a beautiful, lush green forest. Birds tweet and chirp, and a gentle breeze blows the trees and vegetation. The scene quickly changes as the wind begins to rush. Electricity crackles in the air, and stops suddenly as a figure appears in a small clearing.  
  
His wild, dark brown hair highlights his emerald green eyes. His face is thin, not too thin, but with very little expression, his thin mouth and nose giving him a young, yet mature profile. He wears a pair of dark blue boots with yellow, a pair of moderately loose blue jeans, and a black, short-sleeve button-up shirt left open over a grey T-shirt.  
  
A sheath over his back houses a large, powerful sword with a silverish metallic blade, and a black handle. On the end of the pommel and on each side of the top of the grip are small, bright, facetious emeralds.  
  
He suppresses his ki, and walks through the forest to the Son home.  
  
* * *  
  
Chi-chi Son flipped the fish that were roasting on the grill. The scent of cooking food filled the air. She hummed happily as she cooked, but yelped when the fries began to burn.  
  
"Goten! Get the fries!"  
  
An orange-and-blue blur rushed around the side of the house, and grabbed the fring pot, saving the fries.  
  
"Got 'em, Mom!"  
  
"Thankyou, sweety, now go ahead and go and play-after you put the fries in a bowl on the table and help your brother set the table."  
  
Goten lit up. "Okay! Thanks, Mom!"  
  
Chi-chi smiled at her son's innocence as he walked away. She and Goku had raised their children well. They were both excellent students, as well as respectful and friendly.  
  
Gohan flew past her a few moments later with a Mach 6 "Hey Mom."  
  
She stopped Goten as he flew off. "Goten, please tell Gohan to get another big fish for supper!"  
  
"Aww, Mom!" The pout disappeared as Chi-chi brandished a frying pot evilly.  
  
"Okay."  
  
* * *  
  
Gohan landed seconds before his little brother. "Hey Goten."  
  
"Hey Gohan! Bet I can make a bigger Masenko."  
  
Gohan smirked. "Okay, Goten. Go for it!"  
  
Goten took to the air. He put his hands together above his head. "Masenko- HA!" The energy slammed into a nearby hill, gouging a hole in it.  
  
"Good, Goten."  
  
"Now you, nii-san!" Gohan repeated Goten's actions, but when the smoke cleared, the hill was gone.  
  
Goten gaped.  
  
"Close, Goten."  
  
"But.but.whooooaaaa...."  
  
"Oh, by the way, nii-san, Mom said ta get another fish."  
  
Gohan smiled. "Alright. You head on home, squirt."  
  
"Okay. Cya."  
  
After Goten was out of range of sense, Gohan turned to a tree he had nearly destroyed with his Masenko.  
  
"Whoever you are," he said, "You can come out now."  
  
For a moment, all was still. Then, a young man, slightly younger than Gohan, stepped out from behind the tree.  
  
"You did well hiding your ki. Who are you?"  
  
"I am..just call me Gotan."  
  
"Gotan?  
  
"Not Go-tan, Go-tahn."  
  
"Oh. I'm Gohan. Are you friend or foe?"  
  
"Depends on who you fight for."  
  
"I fight for innocent people. And you?"  
  
"The same. I am also.a Wanderer. Tell me, is your family name Son?"  
  
"Yes, it is. Why?'  
  
"May I entrust you with something important?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Very well," Gotan sat down on a rock. "I am from-from an alternate timeline, a different reality. I am also your brother."  
  
Gohan gasped. "Really?! Wow!! Cool!"  
  
"That's not why I came here. Listen closely. In several months, a wizard named Babidi will come to Earth. Make a long story short, he will releasea horrible creature called Majin Buu. One by one, Earth's Special Forces will fall. First Piccolo, then Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Vegeta, Chaoutzu, Piccolo, you, anyone who can fight.  
  
"Then, Buu will kill and eat everyone else. I have come to help you." He shifted on the rock and looked at Gohan. "I need you to not tell anyone. I will be born in three years. but your parents might not end up having me if they know."  
  
"Ah. I guess that does make things a bit more complicated, eh?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Alright. Well, come home with me. I'll tell my family that you're a foreign exchange student, and tell people at school you're my brother who used to live in America or something."  
  
The young man contemplated momentarily. "Alright. I'll go with you."  
  
"Cool, ma-" Gohan broke off. "Oh, man, Mom's gonna killme. I'm late, and the fish isn't even cooked."  
  
Gotan looked at the fish. He pointed, and it began to crisp and cook. In seconds, it was fully cooked.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"It was saving both our butts." At Gohan's strange look, he replied, "Our alternate realities are the same in many ways."  
  
"Including Mom?"  
  
"Yeah. Well, does she still use that cursed fry pan?"  
  
"The pan? Oh yeah! All the time, actually."  
  
"Bloody hell."  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
The two took to the air, soon gone. 


End file.
